Here's How Short Term Lenders Make Money Off Hawaii's Poor

When Alfred Kalaau and his wife Pebbles found a $1,200 per month home to rent in Waianae, they jumped at the chance to leave their small apartment in Kalihi.

Their landlord had told them to move out because their 3-year-old son’s beloved dog had grown too big, violating the rules of the apartment complex.

Even though the West Oahu home would mean a long daily commute to their jobs in Hauula and Waikiki, they couldn’t pass up the affordable two-bedroom house with a yard, a rare find on Oahu where the fair market rent is over $1,800.